


For Infinity

by imbeccacile



Category: Toy Story (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Family, Fix-It (kinda), Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-28 00:46:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19801222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imbeccacile/pseuds/imbeccacile
Summary: Woody enjoys his life as a lost toy. He finds, however, the toys that once belonged to Andy, and then belonged to Bonnie, have a bond unlike any other, which means they won’t be kept apart forever.





	1. A Skunk at a Playground

**Author's Note:**

> this is like, sort of a fix-it to toy story 4?? I liked the ending but the thought of them never seeing each other again rips my heart into shreds so here

Woody was enjoying his time as a lost toy much more than he ever would have thought.

Of course, it helped to have Bo by his side through it all. He really didn’t know what he would have done without her. Sometimes he wondered how he’d gotten through all those years without her at Andy’s house.

But he knew how. He had Buzz, and Jessie, and the rest of his family. Because even when Andy was getting older, he had them.

As much as it hurt, it was time to move on. He didn’t have a connection with Bonnie. He still loved her, no matter what, and always would - especially with how well she treated his friends, but she didn’t need him. And maybe that was okay.

He had trouble sleeping the first few weeks. He’d sit up and stare at the sky - or, if they were lucky to find shelter, he’d stare at the wall - and let his mind wander.

Woody knew that Bo knew. Sometimes he’d blink out of his reverie and notice she was watching him, a knowing smile on her face. Every time he looked at her, he knew he didn’t regret his decision. They helped toys every day find the connection that he and Andy had, and that was much more rewarding than being stuck in a closet. 

And no one could replace his old friends, but he enjoyed everyone else’s company, too. It was nice to know he wasn’t alone. Billy, Goat, and Gruff always came to him for pets. Giggle always made him feel better, got his mind off of everything for a little while. Duke was growing on him - he really was a good toy, just a bit melodramatic at times. The Combat Carls reminded him of the Army Men, and it seemed they looked up to him. It was sweet. Bunny and Ducky were really good at cracking jokes, and despite sometimes being clueless, they were serious about helping other toys, because they knew what it felt like to be alone. Woody admired them.

And Bo. Bo was there for everything. She’d seen him cry, seen him angry, seen him more vulnerable than anyone else had ever seen him. And she was still there. She always would be. She kept him grounded, and he couldn’t be more grateful for her love and patience. 

But through all of the bitter and scared thoughts Woody had, he was also making a lot of new, happy memories. Each day didn’t feel like a drag anymore. Weeks could pass and he would barely notice, because they were doing a good thing, and he was still serving his purpose in making children happy - but along with that, he was also making other toys happy.

That’s what mattered. And slowly, he could move on. He missed his friends, of course. But he knew, in his heart, he’d made the right decision.

“Sheriff! You with me?” Woody blinked, looking to the side to see Bo, leaning against her hook with that smirk on her face, looking him up and down.

He shook his head slightly. “Yeah. Yeah, sorry. What did you say?”

Her smirk grew and she flipped her hook upright, nodding towards the three Combat Carls. “Carl says he heard some voices coming from the trash bag on the curb. Some toys must be trapped. You know what to do.”

A smile found its way onto the cowboy’s face and he nodded, tugging his hat down a bit more snugly on his head.

He turned, scanning the playground. It was getting dark, which meant there weren’t many children left at the park. He smiled again and turned. “Alright, guys. Here’s the plan.”

After a few moments, everyone was in position. Bo gave a thumbs-up, and Ducky and Bunny nodded back. They plopped into the sandbox with the Combat Carls. With that cue, Giggle, Billy, Goat, and Gruff sped out in the skunk toy from under the sandbox, distracting the two families left at the park. Duke and Woody, on the back of Duke’s motorcycle, were positioned at the top of the slide, looking out for the skunk.

“One, two, three!” Woody exclaimed, and Duke took off, rolling down the slide with a lot more bump than anticipated. 

Duke managed to stick the landing and quickly drove along the dirt to get to the trash bags. Once they reached the curb, Woody got off and looked back at the stuntman, nodding. 

He drove off again, and Woody turned his attention to the trash bags.

Those black bags always gave him very uncomfortable memories, but he pushed them down, because he knew that there were toys in trouble and it was important.

He crept closer, and immediately he knew Carl hadn’t been wrong.

“I can’t believe this is happening again!” A female voice wailed quietly, obviously quite upset.

There was some rustling. “I know. Sweetheart, I promise, it’ll be okay.”

“We gotta get out of here,” came a third, gruff voice, and some more rustling.

Was that…? No, it couldn’t be. Woody frowned, placing a hand on the black plastic.

“Get down!” Bo hissed, coming out of nowhere and tackling him so that they both lay on the ground, hidden behind one of the bags as both families quickly ran out. Duke, who’d driven her back, went limp against his handlebars. Once she was sure it was clear, Bo got to her feet and helped Woody back up. 

She immediately noticed something strange in his expression and frowned a little. “You okay, sheriff?”

He stared at the bag for a moment, wondering if he’d imagined the whole thing. Shaking his head, he took a step closer. “Yeah. Let’s just get these toys out of here. I heard three, but there may be more.”

Things were quiet in the bag now. Duke looked confused. “You sure?”

“Positive. Let’s get this open.” He turned and took a piece of the bag in both hands, trying to tear it. “Blast. It’s one of those durable ones. We’ll need something sharper.”

There was some more rustling in the bag, then silence. “Woody? Is that you?” The third, gruff voice asked, muffled by the plastic between them.

The cowboy froze, and Bo frowned a bit more, climbing atop the bag. “Toys, step back.” Some more rustling, and when it fell quiet again, Bo stuck the sharp end of her hook into the plastic, then pulled down with all of her weight, creating a large enough tear as she touched the ground again.

Sure enough, three toys tumbled out - Mr and Mrs Potato Head, and Slinky.

“It  _ is  _ you!” Woody exclaimed, finding his voice and a huge smile, bending down to help Slinky untangle himself. 

“Woody! I can’t believe it!” the dog replied, his tail immediately wagging a bit as Woody finished untangling him, getting to his feet. “And Bo Peep! Boy howdy!”

Bo smiled a little and knelt to scratch under his chin. “Hi, Slink. Mr. and Mrs.”

“Boy, are we glad to see you,” Mr. Potato Head huffed, straightening his mustache.

“It’s a miracle!” Mrs. Potato Head exclaimed, regarding Woody like she still wasn’t quite sure he was even real.

The skunk sped over, and out hopped Ducky, Bunny, the sheep, and Giggle on one of the Carls’ shoulders. “Who are these guys?” she asked, lifting her sunglasses to the top of her head. 

“Uh, these are my friends, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, and Slinky Dog. Guys, this is Duke Caboom, Giggle, Ducky, Bunny, Combat Carls, and...well, you know Billy, Goat, and Gruff.” The sheep baaed and hopped out of the skunk, going to stand beside Bo.

A chorus of ‘nice to meet you’s ensued, and Woody frowned a little, bending down to get closer to Slinky’s level. “What happened, Slink? How’d you end up here?”

Slinky sighed, glancing back at the now-ripped bag, which was full of old bedding and other unneeded house items. “Bonnie’s mom told her to get rid of a couple toys she didn’t want anymore, ‘cause her room was getting messy. Guess we were the first she thought of.” He looked really disappointed about it. It broke Woody’s heart. “We were put on the garbage truck, and we managed to fall out of it. I thought the fall would help break the bag, but it didn’t.”

“We’re trash to her, I guess,” Mr. Potato Head complained, throwing his hands up.

Mrs. Potato Head looked teary-eyed. “I thought we were going to end up at the compactor again…”

“It’s alright, guys. You’re alright,” Woody said gently, glancing back at Bo for a moment before looking back at them. “You can come with us! It’s gonna be tough at first. But I promise you’ll pull through.”

“You seemed to adjust pretty well,” Mr. Potato Head sighed with a slight nod towards his wife, who gripped his hand tightly. “We got nowhere else to go.”

Bo took a step forward, smiling at him. “It’ll be okay, promise. It’s getting darker now; we should take shelter for the night. After all, we’re going to head out in the morning.”

Everyone seemed to agree with that, so they ended up under the slide for the night, just in case it started to rain.

Woody sat with Slinky, still unable to believe their luck. “I’m really glad to see you, Slink,” he murmured as he looked away from the other toys lying down or talking lowly amongst themselves.

“I know,” he sighed, sitting his bottom half in the grass to look up at him. “I thought I’d never see you again, Woody. It was really hard for us without you, these past few years. But we were glad to know you were happy.”

His eyes stung and he looked at the ground, shaking his head slightly. “I’m sorry I left. I just -“ he stopped talking, feeling a gentle paw come up to rest on his knee.

“Woody, none of us blame you.”

The words made it feel like a huge weight was being lifted off of his chest. He sighed again, leaning back on his hands. “Thanks, Slink.” He was quiet, looking ahead. The Potato Heads had already settled down beside the Carls, Ducky and Bunny. Bo was quietly talking to her sheep, Giggle on her shoulder.

“How’s it been, cowboy? The lost toy life. Is it as good as Bo says it is?”

Woody thought about it for a moment. “Yeah. It is. I always thought my job was to make a kid happy. Now I make multiple kids happy, and help toys find happiness, too.” He smiled a bit. “It isn’t easy, but I feel like I’m doing the right thing. It’s more rewarding than being stuck in a closet.”

Slinky smiled a little, too, perhaps a bit comforted by the way Woody talked about it all. “I’ll say.”

He was quiet for a few moments. “How’re the others? Buzz? Jessie?”

“They’re fine. Everyone’s alright. We were just the first to go.” He curled up in a little ball close to him, just like he did when he had been Andy’s newest toy; young, afraid, but taking a liking to the cowboy for his friendly, leader-like nature. “Goodnight, Woody.”

Woody smiled a bit, scratching behind the other’s ear. “Goodnight, Slink.”

He looked over, and Bo winked at him.

Things would really be okay.


	2. Into the Rain

Sometimes, the lost toys would hit a roadblock.

The carnival was only around in the summer, so the rest of the year they had to hitch rides on the bottom of cars or sneak their way onto buses to find new parks, look around for any toys that were without an owner.

It was a bit of a standstill sometimes. But they certainly didn’t mind the break.

Now it was hard to tell what time of day it was, because sometime during the morning, it started pouring. The sky was gray and dark and it didn’t look like it would be letting up any time soon.

The toys took cover under a table outside a dark restaurant. “We’ll have to wait this rain out. It seems that no one even wants to drive in it,” Bo announced. Everyone murmured their agreement - after all, they’d had to walk a few minutes in the rain, and it hadn’t been too enjoyable.

The Carls tossed a soaking wet pile of cards on the ground, which they had found on their walk. “Might as well have fun while we’re stuck here,” Giggle said with a sort of salute, hopping up to stand on Duke’s shoulder.

“Y’all aren’t ready for my go fish skills,” Slinky exclaimed, sitting down and taking it upon himself to attempt to shuffle the wet cards.

“We’ll see about that,” Mr. Potato Head replied with a smirk, sitting across from him. 

“Oh, honey, take it easy on ‘em,” his wife giggled, though there was a certain glint in her eye as she sat beside him.

Ducky looked up, raising an eyebrow. “You joinin’ us, cowboy? Peep?”

Woody blinked out of his thoughts, glancing at Bo. She was standing beside him with that knowing smile, and he cleared his throat to look back at Ducky. “Nah, you guys go ahead. We’ll sit out this round.”

Slinky shrugged and started dealing the cards. “Your loss, Woody.”

He smiled a little, slowly slipping his hand into Bo’s. She returned the smile and they sat together, shoulders touching. Billy, Goat, and Gruff yawned and curled up next to Bo’s lap, and she ran her other hand down their back.

“What were you thinking about?” Her voice was soft and she was watching him.

He figured she knew already, but she was patient and insisted the importance of communication. He didn’t think he’d ever know how he got so lucky.

Chuckling a little, he shook his head. “It’s just strange not knowing how much time has passed. When we found Slink and the Potato Heads, I had no idea years had passed since I became a lost toy. And now it’s been a couple years since then, too.” He squeezed her hand lightly. “It reminds me I made the right choice. Days don’t drag. I get to spend them with you.”

He wondered if he imagined her rosy cheeks darken a little, and her smile grew. “Oh, Woody. You’re too sweet.”

“It’s the truth!”

She laughed and rested her head on his shoulder, and he smiled a bit wider, turning his attention back to the others playing their game. Despite the wet cards, they seemed to be having a good time.

“It’s nice to get a break sometimes, isn’t it?” he asked softly, knowing Bo liked to move and try to help as many toys as possible. Sometimes, though, like now, they were at a standstill.

It wasn’t all bad, though. Everyone needed breaks. “I guess so.”

It reminded him of days when Andy wasn’t home. Despite them all being disappointed they wouldn’t be played with, it was a welcome time to relax. Toys played with cards, logs, LEGOs, checkers, and just took time to themselves. It didn’t compare to having Andy, but it was nice all the same.

Woody closed his eyes for a moment and listened to the rain hit the pavement around them, feeling at peace. Bo’s presence was one that always comforted him whenever he needed it; whether she knew it or not.

His ears picked up a tiny sloshing sound in the distance. Frowning a little, he opened his eyes slowly and looked at the others. No one else seemed to notice. Maybe he’d imagined it.

Still, he was on high alert now. He frowned and strained to hear something else. For a few seconds, he didn’t. And then he heard a barely discernible, unintelligible yell through the wind and rain.

He scrambled to his feet, breathing hard. “Woody? What’s wrong?” Bo asked, looking up at him with a hard look in her eye. She always trusted his judgement, though everyone else was looking at him like he was crazy.

Shaking his head a little, he stepped towards one of the legs of the table, squinting out into the rain. In the distance, there was a dark blur. He couldn’t make out what it was, but if it was something living, he had to go help.

“There’s something - or someone - out there,” he said quietly, trying to squint harder.

“What?” Giggle gasped, as the rest of the toys slowly stood up, too, trying to get a better look.

He tugged his hat on more snugly, taking a deep breath and not taking his gaze off of the blur. “I’m going out there.”

“You can’t!” Mrs. Potato Head cried. “It’s pouring!”

Shaking his head, Woody glanced at Bo. “I’ll be right back. I promise, I just...I heard someone. I think a toy might be in trouble.”

“I’m comin’ with you, sheriff,” she said firmly, putting a hand on his shoulder. He nodded slightly.

Slinky stood up and walked over to him. “Me too.”

“I’ll scout ahead!” Duke exclaimed, quickly mounting his motorcycle.

“Thanks, Duke,” Woody said with another nod, then glanced back at the others. “We’ll be right back. Hold down the fort for us.”

Giggle saluted. “Sure thing, cowboy.”

Duke looked expectantly at Bo, and she nodded. “We’ll be right behind you.” He broke into a grin and revved his engine, then took off down the road towards the blur.

“Let’s go!”

Woody, Bo, and Slink ran after him, immediately getting soaked, but they ignored it. The wind was howling in their ears, and they focused on getting to Duke and the other in order to get through it.

“There’s a toy stuck in -“ Duke was yelling, but the wind made it hard to hear. Woody groaned and put in more effort to run faster, slowly but surely getting to where Duke was.

Standing beside the stuntman was -

“Rex?” he asked, dumbfoundedly as he stared between the two.

“Woody, Miss Peep, thank goodness!” he yelled, wringing his hands anxiously. “Hamm’s down there! He fell and my arms are too short to get to him!”

“What?” Immediately, he knelt in the pavement and looked down the sewer, finding roaring water and no Hamm. His heart beat out of his chest. “Hamm!” he yelled. 

“Hello?” a muffled voice replied. “Woody, is that you?”

He swallowed and stuck his head in carefully, looking to the left. Just out of reach was the drain, and Hamm was standing in the corner, just a little space where the rushing water wouldn’t hit him. “Hamm! We’re gonna get you out of there, just hang tight!” He backed up and looked at Rex, then at Bo. He swallowed and turned to Slinky. “Slink, I need you.”

The dog nodded, though he looked a bit nervous. “Right on.”

“Duke? I need you to hold on to me. Bo, hold on to Duke. Rex, hold on to Bo. On my mark, we pull.”

Everyone nodded and got into position. Woody took a deep breath, and holding onto Slinky’s bottom half, they got closer. He felt Duke’s hands on his waist and nodded.

Slinky took a deep breath and jumped. Immediately they were pulled towards the sewer, but they kept their feet firmly planted. 

“Slink?” he called, waiting for a response. 

At first there was none, except a quiet grunt. “I...I got him! Pull us up!”

“Now, everyone!” With all their might, the toys pulled backwards. With Rex’s extra strength, soon Slinky and Hamm were both safe on the pavement, coughing. “Are you guys alright?” he asked concernedly, immediately kneeling beside them.

“Yeah, all thanks to you,” Hamm replied with a slight shake of his head, his usual sarcasm replaced with genuity. Slinky nodded a little, giving him a smile and taking the pig’s hand in his paw in a sort of handshake. 

Woody smiled, relieved, and shook his head slightly. “Come on, guys. We’ve got shelter over there. Let’s dry off.”

No one would even think about arguing that idea, so they headed back to their table. 

“Hamm?” Mr. Potato Head exclaimed, astounded.

“Rex?” Mrs. Potato Head cried right after, looking equally confused.

Woody stepped under the table, taking off his hat to pour excess water from it. “How did you guys end up here?” They all sat down then, exhausted from the amount of energy that had taken.

“Sold at a yard sale,” Hamm explained. “The kid was just like Sid! Didn’t treat toys right.”

Rex shook his head slightly, looking upset. “David had us for a few weeks. He and his friend were heading to Pizza Planet and thought it would be funny to throw us out of the car and watch us disappear!”

“So we walked for a long time, but I slipped and fell in the darn sewer,” The piggy bank finished with a sigh, shaking his head. “If it weren’t for you, I’d have been pork chop by now!”

Woody hadn’t realized he’d been shivering until Bo carefully placed her cloak around his shoulders. He was mostly made of stuffing, after all. He gave her a half-hearted smile and looked back at them. “That’s terrible, guys. I’m so sorry.” Now that he looked at them, they did look a little worse for wear. “It’ll be alright now. You can come with us!”

“Thanks,” Hamm then turned to Mr. Potato Head, a big smile finding its way onto his face as he reunited with his friend again. “How’ve you been?”

Woody pulled the cloak tighter around his shoulders, bringing his legs to his chest. “What a coincidence, huh?” Bo said lowly after a moment or two.

“I know,” he chuckled, leaning against one of the table legs. 

“You’re a hero, you know that?”

He blushed and chuckled a little more. “I...well…I don’t know about that. You’ve been doing this longer. You’re a real hero.”

She smiled and gently took his hat off, placing it carefully on the other side of her as her hand slipped into his. “Aw, sheriff Woody. You’ve been helping these guys for longer than I have. You took such good care of them at Andy’s.”

“Thanks, Bo.” He was too tired to argue much longer, though she always won these sort of things. Leaning his head back against the table leg, he stared ahead at the scene in front of him.

They were laughing, introducing each other, having fun, like old times.

She squeezed his hand. He squeezed it back. He’d have to reflect on how lucky he was at another time.


	3. The Claw

“Hey, sheriff. Come take a look at this!”

With a quiet groan, Woody opened his eyes and took a moment to remember where he was. His hat lay over his face, so he carefully removed it, blinking at the sun. He was leaning against a pole at the top of the carousel. Getting to his feet, almost stumbling over the fabric, he headed towards Bo.

She was smiling, sitting on the canvas with her feet dangling over, looking out at a building closeby to the carnival. “Is that a…Pizza Planet?” he asked, dazed.

“Yup. And there’s probably some toys in the claw machines waiting to be helped.”

He blinked and reached up to rub one of his eyes, taking a seat beside her. “Sounds great,” he said, suppressing a yawn as he squinted towards it. “Where’d the others go?”

“Ah, they just spread out to help other toys around the carnival. Figured I’d stay here while you took your little nap.” She had a smirk on her face.

He frowned, shaking his head slightly. “No, I was...I was just resting my eyes.” She gave him a look, and he sighed. “Fine. How long’s it been?”

She smirked again and looked out at the Pizza Planet sign, placing her hand on top of his. “About an hour. It’s alright. You deserve it. Past few days haven’t been easy.”

“I’ll say.” The teenagers in charge of the carnival games were complaining about their toys disappearing, which meant they were watching more carefully. It was getting harder to help the toys at the games, but they wouldn’t give up; not by a long shot.

Her thumb ran along his knuckles, and she got to his feet, offering him her hook. “Ready to round up the others? We should get inside before it closes.”

He nodded, taking her hook in both hands. She pulled him up with ease and he let out a little yell. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to that. Good thing Bo didn’t mind.

Together, hand in hand, they slid down the canopy, bouncing from one to the other until they fell in a heap in the grass, giggling. He’d broken her fall and they kept laughing at the ‘oof’ that had come out of his mouth after she landed on his chest. Eventually she pulled his hat up a little and leaned down, placing a sweet, soft kiss on his lips.

Despite the fact that things like this had happened many times, his face immediately went red as he fumbled to kiss back, grinning. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to this, but he didn’t think he had to.

Bo pulled away first, obviously cherishing the look on his face for a moment before getting to her feet, brushing herself off. Instead of offering her hook, she offered her hand, and he took it, letting her help him up. She didn’t let go as they took cover behind one of the carnival games. Squinting, she looked around before her face lit up, pointing. “Look.” Woody looked, but saw nothing. She smirked and placed two fingers in her mouth to whistle.

A few moments later, the battered skunk toy barreled towards them. All these years later, and it was still in okay shape - surprising, especially because it was packed away every time the carnival finished touring.

The top of the skunk opened, and the sheep, Combat Carls, Giggle, and Duke were inside. “Heard there are a couple claw machines in that restaurant. You two ready to move?” One of the Carls asked, and both of them smiled as they clambered into the skunk. 

“Great work, Carl,” Bo said with a grin, and the top of the skunk came down once more as they took off towards the Pizza Planet.

“Where are the others?” Woody wondered aloud.

“Slinky and Hamm went to help toys at the squirt gun game, Ducky and Bunny went to the ring toss, and Rex and the Potato Heads went to the target-shooting game,” Giggle reported, hopping from Carl’s shoulder to Woody’s.

He nodded slightly, a bit impressed that she remembered it all, giving her a slight smile. “Thanks, Giggle.” She gave him a salute.

The skunk rattled a bit, hitting bumpy terrain, and then it slowed to a stop. “Alright, everyone. We’re in a bush near the sidewalk. We’re gonna wait for the all-clear, then head inside,” Bo explained. Everyone fell quiet and got ready. She was obviously staring through the eyes, like the sheep, who were driving. “That man is walking out! Now, girls!” The skunk lurched forward and they raced inside, hearing a couple screams. They took a sharp right, and after a moment or two, skidded to a stop.

The top of the skunk opened slowly. Woody could see they were hidden behind a giant claw machine. He ducked down carefully as he saw a pair of legs approach the machine, then a small, young voice complained, “Dad, these are impossible!”

After a few moments, the kid and his father walked away. Woody looked at Bo, nodding slightly, then at the Carls. “Come on, guys. There are toys that need our help.”

“Roger!” The three Carls got out of the skunk first, then Woody, Giggle hopping back onto Bo’s shoulder.

“Be careful, sheriff,” she said lightly, and he tipped his hat slightly in response. With that, the skunk top came down over them again and they sped off, creating a distraction long enough for the four of them to wiggle their way up into the machine. 

Some of the toys looked at them like they were crazy. “Don’t worry, guys. Combat Carls and I are just here to help you get to a new home.” There were quiet murmurs around at that, and some of the toys smiled amongst themselves.

He frowned, hearing some heavy breathing at the top of the pile of stuffed toys. “Everything’s gonna be alright,” came a familiar voice, muffled to Woody’s ears below all the plush toys around him. “Just breathe.”

“I keep hearing him,” replied another voice, obviously quite distressed. “It’s ridiculous. It’s been eleven years, but I...oh, God, I feel like the walls are closing in.”

He felt his heart beat out of his chest as he carefully climbed his way towards the top, apologizing to the toys he stepped on. With a grunt, he made it to the top of the pile, coughing.

“Woody!”

Almost immediately, both of his hands were taken and he was pulled from the pile of toys around him, and he looked up to find -

“Buzz? Jessie?” His jaw dropped as Jessie enveloped him in a crushing hug, which he very quickly returned. “I can’t believe it!”

“Oh, Woody! We missed you!” Jessie muttered into his shoulder, very slowly and hesitantly letting go of him. 

A huge smile appeared on his face as he went to hug Buzz, who hugged him back just as tightly as Jessie had. “It’s so good to see you again, cowboy.”

Woody felt tears prick his eyes, but blinked furiously to push them down. He pulled away slowly, and he felt something push against his hand. “Bullseye!” he exclaimed, immediately being licked in the face, dissolving into a fit of laughter as he weakly tried to push the horse away. “It’s good to see you too, boy.”

“Sheriff, there’s a kid approaching!” One of the Carls shouted, and all four of them looked through the glass, then went limp.

The Carls held up a stuffed cat, hidden underneath the rest of the toys, getting her a bit closer to the top. The girl controlling the claw blinked stuck her tongue out a bit, concentrating on steadying the claw right above the stuffed cat. The claw closed around the toy, and it picked her up - and stayed in the claw.

The girl cheered and checked the little box underneath. “Cool!” she shouted, taking the cat along with a lizard toy - one that, no doubt, the Carls had helped down. She walked away happily, and Woody slowly sat up, still completely perplexed.

“Alright. We’re gonna have time to talk later; for right now, I have to help my friends help these other toys. You in?”

Buzz and Jessie exchanged a determined look, then nodded towards him. For the rest of the day, they helped toys inside the claw machine find a home.

“Sheriff, they’re closin’ up! Time to go!” One of the Carls exclaimed, making his way closer to them. Woody nodded.

“Let’s get out of here. Don’t worry, guys, we’ll be back in the morning, promise!” he announced to the rest of the toys, who looked happy and hopeful now. 

The Carls led the way down, opening the flap slowly. “Psst! Peep! Caboom! You down there?”

Woody didn’t catch the response, but he knew there was one, so he didn’t fret. He helped Jessie down, then Bullseye, then reached out to help Buzz down too. Buzz took Jessie’s hand, reminding her to take a deep breath. Obviously, small, enclosed spaces still terrified her.

After a moment, someone screamed “A skunk!” and, no doubt, ran off. One of the Carls peeked out the flap, then glanced over his shoulder. 

“All clear, folks. Let’s head out!” The three of them both stepped to the edge, climbing down one of the legs of the machine. 

“You go ahead,” Woody offered, gesturing towards the flap. Jessie smiled, thanking him lightly, and began down the leg after them. Buzz wasn’t far behind, and Woody held onto Bullseye’s collar. “You can do this, boy. Go on.” The horse whimpered a little. “I’ll be right behind you.” With that in mind, Bullseye hugged the leg tightly, slowly sliding down towards the floor. Woody, as promised, went right after him.

Upon reaching the floor, he helped Bullseye into the skunk, making disbelieving eye contact with Bo. As he got into the skunk, he froze, hearing knocking at the door.

“Hello? Pest control!” The owner of the Pizza Planet ran over going to unlock the doors for him.

“Thanks for coming so quickly. There’s a skunk in here somewhere.”

The toys exchanged a look, silently putting the top back down. “Hit it, girls,” Duke whispered, and the sheep baaed, making the skunk go as fast as it possibly could.

“Ah! Look, there!” The owner yelped, and the pest control man went to chase after them.

The skunk cut sharp corners, trying to throw the man off. Jessie sat in the back, hyperventilating, as Buzz tried to remind her that things were going to be fine.

“Hey, Jess, look at me,” Woody knelt in front of her, hoping he wouldn’t be thrown to the side. “Remember when we first met? And I thought that you’d turned on the television just to sabotage me?”

She sniffed, looking at him with wide eyes, a small smile on her face. “Yeah.”

“And you beat the stuffing outta me,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “To this day, I still can’t believe how amazingly strong of a toy you are, Jessie. I never, once, even dreamt of underestimating you after that. So I need you to take some nice, deep breaths now.”

She smiled a little more, though her eyes were teary. She threw her arms around his neck and held on tightly, as if she were afraid he’d disappear if she let go. He simply returned the hug, glancing up at Buzz. His friend nodded slightly.

“This is it!” Duke shouted, and there was a bump, throwing them all to the side.

“Uh, sir?” The pest control man’s voice was getting quieter with distance. “It got out.” 

“Let it go, then, as long as it’s not in my restaurant.”

The toys let out a relieved sigh, and soon enough, the skunk came to a slow stop. When the top opened, they were underneath one of the rides, where they’d set up camp. Slinky, Rex, Hamm, Ducky, Bunny and the Potato Heads were all already there, quietly celebrating the day’s victories. Everyone fell quiet, though, at the sight.

“Buzz!” Rex exclaimed excitedly. “Jessie! And Bullseye! You’re all here too?”

Buzz and Jessie hopped out of the skunk, wide eyes looking between old friends. Bullseye trotted right over to Mr. Potato Head, licking him. As everyone caught up, Woody shook his head, looking at Bo with a huge grin. “I can’t believe it.”

“Still don’t believe you’re a hero, sheriff?” she teased, and he offered his hand, helping her down. 

Giggle laughed softly to herself. “We’re gonna need a bigger skunk.”

After the commotion of the past few hours, everyone began settling down. Duke seemed to really take a liking to Bullseye, who enjoyed going to him to get petted. Even the sheep seemed to get along with him.

Woody helped Bo settle the sheep, then glanced over his shoulder. Buzz was sitting a few inches away, looking down at Jessie, who had her head in his lap.

“Go on. Go talk to him,” Bo murmured, nudging him slightly. He gave her a sort of grateful smile, slowly heading over to them both. He noticed right away that Jessie was sleeping, and Buzz was running a hand down her back comfortingly. He looked up as Woody approached.

“This seat taken, partner?” he asked with a crooked grin, pointing to the space in the grass next to him.

Buzz smiled a little, shaking his head. Gratefully, Woody sat beside him. “I see the lost toy life has been suiting you well,” he said conversationally.

“Yeah, well,” he chuckled a little, leaning back on his hands. “It’s just something you have to get used to. It was really hard at first.”

“But you had Bo Peep.” He gave him a knowing smile. “You haven’t changed much, Woody. But I can tell you’re happy. That’s all I wanted for you.”

The cowboy looked down, rubbing the back of his neck. “Thanks,” he murmured, then looked back at him. “I am happy.” They were quiet for a few moments. “What happened, Buzz? How’d you end up in a claw machine?”

He sighed, looking down. “Bonnie just turned sixteen. She decided she was too old for toys, and her mom sold the three of us to a younger teenager. Turned out, she’s the daughter of the man who owns that Pizza Planet. We’ve been in the claw machine ever since.”

“I’m sorry.” Woody placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder, making him look up at him. “I wish things weren’t so difficult.”

Buzz chuckled lowly, nodding. “So do I.” He was quiet for a moment, watching Bo as she talked gently to Duke, who seemed to be having a dramatic episode again. “Jessie took your being gone pretty hard, at first. I mean, we all did,” he sighed, managing a smile. “But I was right. Bonnie was fine. She grew into a bright young woman, and...and we found you again. All of us.” He gestures towards their friends. “I don’t know what more I could ask for.”

Woody swallowed and looked away, so that Buzz wouldn’t see him tearing up. “I can’t even tell you how great it is to see you again. These past eleven years have been great, but I...I thought about you every day. About everyone, and Bonnie. Sometimes I felt selfish for leaving, but…” he looked up and grinned again. “I knew they were in good hands. They had you, Buzz.”

The space ranger put his arm around his friend, a huge smile on his face. “That’ll never change. But it looks like they have both of us now.”

Woody grinned widely. “For infinity and beyond.”


End file.
